1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a charging system, an image processing apparatus, and a charging program embodied on a computer readable medium, and more particularly, to a charging system for charging for image processing conducted based on image data, an image processing apparatus, and a charging program embodied on a computer readable medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a technique has been developed to transfer image data between users by using image processing apparatuses such as scanners, printers, and facsimiles. For example, image data is handed over from a user to a destination user by storage in the hard disc, file transfer, or electronic mail, and the destination user outputs the image data by printing. However, outputting the image data by printing involves an amount of money charged for the printing, and the destination user ends up being charged. Japanese Laid-Open Publication No. 2005-85104 describes a technique such that when the person receiving data outputs data by printing, either the transmitting user or the destination user is charged for the printing.
However, there may be a difference in processing capacity between the image processing apparatus operated by the data transmitting user and the image processing apparatus operated by the data destination user. For example, when the transmitting user transmits data in color while the apparatus used by the destination user deals with data in monochrome, the data in color ends up being printed in monochrome, making impossible the color printing of the data as intended by the destination user. In this case, either the destination user or the transmitting user is charged for the monochrome printing, which is problematic in that the charging is only for the monochrome printing while the transmitting user has instructed that a color image be printed. Still, charging either the transmitting user or the destination user for color printing, which is costly, results in dissatisfaction for the transmitting user since the transmitting user is heavily charged while the intended color image cannot be output, or for the destination user since the destination user is heavily charged while only monochrome printing of the image is available.